F1 Explains – Details, episodes & analysis

Precision at 200 miles per hour. Millimetre-perfect steering, Millisecond-perfect braking and acceleration. That's what it takes to race in Formula 1. Performance Engineers help the 20 fastest drivers in the world to be their very best.

McLaren's Tom Stallard, a former Performance Engineer, tells Christian Hewgill and Katie Osborne about the incredible work these engineers do with Formula 1 drivers. It's a mix of studying data, finding improvements, and coaching drivers to go faster on-track.

Plus, Tom explains the teamwork among Performance Engineers, Strategists and Race Engineers (the role he currently does with Oscar Piastri). They have to communicate efficiently to get the best result in every qualifying session and race.

For more from Tom Stallard, follow F1 Beyond The Grid for an in-depth interview coming soon.

F1 EXPLAINS LIVE - AT THE FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX 2024
Saturday October 19th, 1815 (after F1 qualifying)
Circuit of the Americas, Amphitheatre stage near the F1 Fanzone
Join Christian, Katie and special guests for a live show - with your chance to put a question to an F1 expert
Email F1Explains@F1.com to get involved

Send your questions to F1Explains@F1.com and we'll answer them in a future episode

Listen to more official F1 podcasts

• For in-depth interviews with F1's biggest stars, listen to F1 Beyond The Grid 
• For race previews and reviews from inside the F1 paddock, listen to F1 Nation

Be there when the 2024 Formula 1 World Champion is crowned: Tickets for the US Grand Prix in Texas, the Las Vegas Grand Prix and F1 ACADEMY weekends in Qatar and Abu Dhabi are available now at tickets.formula1.com

16 drivers in identical cars, racing wheel-to-wheel on Grand Prix weekends. F1 ACADEMY, the game-changing racing series for female drivers, returns at the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix.

Hamda and Amna Al Qubaisi are F1 ACADEMY race-winners, teammates and sisters. They answer your questions on staying calm under pressure, racing in different junior categories and how they recover after a race.

They tell Christian Hewgill how F1 ACADEMY has changed their careers, and the support they get from Formula 1 teams and drivers through the Red Bull Racing Pepe Jeans and Visa CashApp Academy Programmes.  Plus, the story of when the sisters clashed on-track and in the stewards’ room, post-race. 



You can watch F1 ACADEMY action on the series YouTube channel or F1TV

Get the latest on the season on f1academy.com or by following F1 ACADEMY on Instagram

Next up: listen to our episode with F1 ACADEMY boss Susie Wolff and driver Lia Block

Send your questions to F1Explains@F1.com and we'll answer them in a future episode

Listen to more official F1 podcasts

• For in-depth interviews with F1's biggest stars, listen to F1 Beyond The Grid 
• For race previews and reviews from inside the F1 paddock, listen to F1 Nation

It's all to drive for in 2024. Be there: Tickets for the US Grand Prix in Texas, the Las Vegas Grand Prix and F1 ACADEMY weekends in Qatar and Abu Dhabi are available now at tickets.formula1.com

In F1, every thousandth of a second is crucial. Drivers' performances are often separated by less than the blink of an eye, so how are F1 cars timed so accurately?

To find out, Christian and Katie speak to James Clarke, a highly-trained F1 timekeeper. James explains the technology on cars and at circuits which make the timing system work, how lap times and race positions are accurately recorded, and what happens if two drivers set identical times.

Get your question answered by an F1 expert
Record a voice note, write an email and send it to F1Explains@F1.com

Find the answer in our previous episodes

• What F1 drivers eat - with Oscar Piastri's nutritionist, Dr Dan Martin
• How F1 helmets are made - with Bell Racing
• Ask a Formula 1 Driver – Liam Lawson answers your questions
• Inside the FIA Safety Car - with driver, Bernd Mayländer 
• How F1 video games are so realistic - with EA SPORTS F124
• LIVE in Miami with Guenther Steiner + F1 Explains listeners
• Car setup with Fernando Alonso + Aston Martin
• F1 race suits, boots, gloves + underwear - with PUMA
• F1 brakes - technology + technique - with Brembo + Jack Doohan
• The job of an F1 Team Principal - with Aston Martin's Mike Krack
• Why F1 teammates are friends + foes - with Valtteri Bottas + Zhou Guanyu
• How Formula 2 + Formula 3 prepare drivers for F1 - with Oscar Piastri
• F1 Academy - with Susie Wolff + Lia Block
• The F1 race start - with Mick Schumacher + strategist Bernie Collins
• Behind the scenes on Drive to Survive - with Exec Producer James Gay-Rees
• Why F1 pre-season testing matters - with Mercedes, McLaren + Alpine
• How F1 teams build their new cars - with Aston Martin Technical Director Dan Fallows

Listen to more official F1 podcasts

• For in-depth interviews with F1's biggest stars, listen to F1 Beyond The Grid 
• For race previews and reviews from inside the F1 paddock, listen to F1 Nation

See Formula 1 live this season
Tickets for races in Texas, Las Vegas, across Europe and around the world are available now. Go to tickets.formula1.com to book your seats

As high-performance athletes, F1 drivers have to eat the right things at the right times. Everything they eat and drink, plus the timing of their meals, is carefully planned by expert nutritionists like Dr Dan Martin from Combine Performance. Dan works with McLaren's Oscar Piastri.

Christian Hewgill and Katie Osborne find out what an F1 driver's diet is and how it helps them perform at their best. We also get the story behind the banana smoothie which interrupted a previous F1 Explains interview with Piastri...

Get your F1 question answered by an expert
Record it as a voice note or write it in an email and send it to F1Explains@F1.com

Learn more about F1 with our previous episodes:

• How F1 helmets are made - with Bell Racing
• Ask a Formula 1 Driver – Liam Lawson answers your questions
• Inside the FIA Safety Car - with driver, Bernd Mayländer 
• How F1 video games are so realistic - with EA SPORTS F124
• LIVE in Miami with Guenther Steiner + F1 Explains listeners
• Car setup with Fernando Alonso + Aston Martin
• F1 race suits, boots, gloves + underwear - with PUMA
• F1 brakes - technology + technique - with Brembo + Jack Doohan
• The job of an F1 Team Principal - with Aston Martin's Mike Krack
• Why F1 teammates are friends + foes - with Valtteri Bottas + Zhou Guanyu
• How Formula 2 + Formula 3 prepare drivers for F1 - with Oscar Piastri
• F1 Academy - with Susie Wolff + Lia Block
• The F1 race start - with Mick Schumacher + strategist Bernie Collins
• Behind the scenes on Drive to Survive - with Exec Producer James Gay-Rees
• Why F1 pre-season testing matters - with Mercedes, McLaren + Alpine
• How F1 teams build their new cars - with Aston Martin Technical Director Dan Fallows

More Official F1 Podcasts

• For in-depth interviews with F1's biggest stars, listen to F1 Beyond The Grid 
• For race previews and reviews from inside the F1 paddock, listen to F1 Nation

Experience Formula 1 live this season
Tickets for races in Texas, Las Vegas, across Europe and around the world are available now. Go to tickets.formula1.com to book your seats

They’re essential pieces of safety kit, made from specialised materials. But F1 helmets do far more than just protect the driver. F1 Explains explores helmet design, testing and technology with Stephane Cohen, co-CEO of Bell Racing – the company which makes helmets for 13 current F1 drivers. 

Stephane tells Katie Osborne and Christian Hewgill how Bell make helmets that are strong and light, visors that don’t fog up and why a car update can require helmets to be modified. 

Plus, hear how F1 helmets differ from those worn by the stars of the NFL.

Send us your question and we'll find the F1 expert to answer it
Write an email or record a voice note and send it to F1Explains@F1.com

Learn more about F1 with our previous episodes:

• Ask a Formula 1 Driver – with Liam Lawson
• Inside the FIA Safety Car - with driver, Bernd Mayländer 
• How F1 video games are so realistic - with EA SPORTS F124
• LIVE in Miami with Guenther Steiner + F1 Explains listeners
• Car setup with Fernando Alonso + Aston Martin
• F1 race suits, boots, gloves + underwear - with PUMA
• F1 brakes - technology + technique - with Brembo + Jack Doohan
• The job of an F1 Team Principal - with Aston Martin's Mike Krack
• Why F1 teammates are friends + foes - with Valtteri Bottas + Zhou Guanyu
• How Formula 2 + Formula 3 prepare drivers for F1 - with Oscar Piastri
• F1 Academy - with Susie Wolff + Lia Block
• The F1 race start - with Mick Schumacher + strategist Bernie Collins
• Behind the scenes on Drive to Survive - with Exec Producer James Gay-Rees
• Why F1 pre-season testing matters - with Mercedes, McLaren + Alpine
• How F1 teams build their new cars - with Aston Martin Technical Director Dan Fallows

More Official F1 Podcasts

• For in-depth interviews with F1's biggest stars, listen to F1 Beyond The Grid 
• For race previews and reviews from inside the F1 paddock, listen to F1 Nation

Experience Formula 1 live this season
Tickets for races in Texas, Las Vegas, across Europe and around the world are available now. Go to tickets.formula1.com to book your seats

What do reserve drivers do? Why are F1 stars weighed after every race? What is the racing line (and how can it help you when doing grocery shopping)?

Cindy from California, Ana in India, Pierre from France and lots more F1 Explains listeners sent in questions about the life of an F1 driver. Christian Hewgill and Katie Osborne get the answers from Red Bull Reserve Driver, Liam Lawson.

Liam explains how drivers change approach between an all-out qualifying lap and a long race stint. He tells us about understeer and oversteer, and why drivers hit some trackside kerbs but avoid others.

Send us your question and we'll find the F1 expert to answer it
Write an email or record a voice note and send it to F1Explains@F1.com

Learn more about F1 with our previous episodes:

• Inside the FIA Safety Car - with driver, Bernd Mayländer 
• How F1 video games are so realistic - with EA SPORTS F124
• LIVE in Miami with Guenther Steiner + F1 Explains listeners
• Car setup with Fernando Alonso + Aston Martin
• F1 race suits, boots, gloves + underwear - with PUMA
• F1 brakes - technology + technique - with Brembo + Jack Doohan
• The job of an F1 Team Principal - with Aston Martin's Mike Krack
• Why F1 teammates are friends + foes - with Valtteri Bottas + Zhou Guanyu
• How Formula 2 + Formula 3 prepare drivers for F1 - with Oscar Piastri
• F1 Academy - with Susie Wolff + Lia Block
• The F1 race start - with Mick Schumacher + strategist Bernie Collins
• Behind the scenes on Drive to Survive - with Exec Producer James Gay-Rees
• Why F1 pre-season testing matters - with Mercedes, McLaren + Alpine
• How F1 teams build their new cars - with Aston Martin Technical Director Dan Fallows

More Official F1 Podcasts

• For in-depth interviews with F1's biggest stars, listen to F1 Beyond The Grid 
• For race previews and reviews from inside the F1 paddock, listen to F1 Nation

Experience Formula 1 live this season
Tickets for races in Texas, Las Vegas, across Europe and around the world are available now. Go to tickets.formula1.com to book your seats

It's there to keep F1 safe, and it can transform a race. The FIA Safety Car is sent out in poor weather or after a crash to protect marshals, drivers and fans. But there's more to it than meets the eye...

Christian Hewgill and Katie Osborne explore the secrets of the safety car: how the decision to use it is made, its purpose on-track and how drivers and strategists can gain an advantage when the SC is deployed.

Safety Car driver Bernd Mayländer tells F1 Explains about his job and the incredible AMG-Mercedes and Aston Martin he drives. Then, Christian climbs into the driver's seat to see the amazing kit the car has on-board.

Send us your F1 question and we'll find the expert to answer it
Write an email or record a voice note and send it to F1Explains@F1.com

Learn more about F1 with our previous episodes:

• How F1 video games are so realistic - with EA SPORTS F124
• LIVE in Miami with Guenther Steiner + F1 Explains listeners
• Car setup with Fernando Alonso + Aston Martin
• F1 race suits, boots, gloves + underwear - with PUMA
• F1 brakes - technology + technique - with Brembo + Jack Doohan
• The job of an F1 Team Principal - with Aston Martin's Mike Krack
• Why F1 teammates are friends + foes - with Valtteri Bottas + Zhou Guanyu
• How Formula 2 + Formula 3 prepare drivers for F1 - with Oscar Piastri
• F1 Academy - with Susie Wolff + Lia Block
• The F1 race start - with Mick Schumacher + strategist Bernie Collins
• Behind the scenes on Drive to Survive - with Exec Producer James Gay-Rees
• Why F1 pre-season testing matters - with Mercedes, McLaren + Alpine
• How F1 teams build their new cars - with Aston Martin Technical Director Dan Fallows

More Official F1 Podcasts

• For in-depth interviews with F1's biggest stars, listen to F1 Beyond The Grid 
• For race previews and reviews from inside the F1 paddock, listen to F1 Nation

Experience Formula 1 live this season
Tickets for races in Texas, Las Vegas, across Europe and around the world are available now. Go to tickets.formula1.com to book your seats

Cars that feel F1-fast. Racetracks that look real. Drivers in detail. EA SPORTS F124, the latest official Formula 1 game, is out on 31 May and it's more lifelike than ever. How do game designers bring the world of F1 to life on your console? Katie and Christian speak to two of F124's creators to find out:

• Lee Mather - Senior Creative Designer
• Casey Ringley - Senior Game Designer + Vehicle Handling Lead

Lee explains how photos and radar are used to make sure racetracks look like the real thing. Casey reveals how the brand new Dynamic Handling on F124 and input from Max Verstappen makes the cars better than ever to drive. Plus, Christian tries to put himself in the game...

EA SPORTS F124 is out on 31 May

PEGI: 3 • ESRB: E • Mild Language. In-Game Purchases. Users Interact.

Send us your F1 question and we'll find the expert to answer it
Write an email or record a voice note and send it to F1Explains@F1.com

Learn more about F1 with our previous episodes:

• LIVE in Miami with Guenther Steiner + F1 Explains listeners
• Car setup with Fernando Alonso + Aston Martin
• F1 brakes - technology + technique - with Brembo + Jack Doohan
• The job of an F1 Team Principal - with Aston Martin's Mike Krack
• Why F1 teammates are friends + foes - with Valtteri Bottas + Zhou Guanyu
• How Formula 2 + Formula 3 prepare drivers for F1 - with Oscar Piastri
• F1 Academy - with Susie Wolff + Lia Block
• The F1 race start - with Mick Schumacher + strategist Bernie Collins
• Behind the scenes on Drive to Survive - with Exec Producer James Gay-Rees
• Why F1 pre-season testing matters - with Mercedes, McLaren + Alpine
• How F1 teams build their new cars - with Aston Martin Technical Director Dan Fallows

More Official F1 Podcasts

• For in-depth interviews with F1's biggest stars, listen to F1 Beyond The Grid 
• For race previews and reviews from inside the F1 paddock, listen to F1 Nation

Played the game? Now see F1 for real
Tickets for races in Texas, Las Vegas, across Europe and around the world are available now. Go to tickets.formula1.com

Grand Prix-winning strategists Ruth Buscombe and Bernie Collins are back with Katie Osborne and Christian Hewgill to answer another batch of your Formula 1 questions.

On the list this week: 

• Why do teams sometimes get their race strategies wrong?
• How are car upgrades planned?
• How do you become an F1 race strategist?
• What do drivers do to look after their tyres?
• What are the T-bars on top of F1 cars, and why are they different colours?

Send us your F1 question and we'll find the expert to answer it
Write an email or record a voice note and send it to F1Explains@F1.com

Learn more about F1 with our previous episodes:

• LIVE in Miami with Guenther Steiner + F1 Explains listeners
• Car setup with Fernando Alonso + Aston Martin
• F1 brakes - technology + technique - with Brembo + Jack Doohan
• The job of an F1 Team Principal - with Aston Martin's Mike Krack
• Why F1 teammates are friends + foes - with Valtteri Bottas + Zhou Guanyu
• How Formula 2 + Formula 3 prepare drivers for F1 - with Oscar Piastri
• F1 Academy - with Susie Wolff + Lia Block
• The F1 race start - with Mick Schumacher + strategist Bernie Collins
• Behind the scenes on Drive to Survive - with Exec Producer James Gay-Rees
• Why F1 pre-season testing matters - with Mercedes, McLaren + Alpine
• How F1 teams build their new cars - with Aston Martin Technical Director Dan Fallows

More Official F1 Podcasts

• For in-depth interviews with F1's biggest names, listen to F1 Beyond The Grid 
• For race previews and reviews, head over to F1 Nation

Experience Formula 1 live in 2024
Tickets for races in Texas, Las Vegas and across Europe are available now. Go to tickets.formula1.com

Two race-winning F1 strategists answer your questions on how teams plan their pit stops, what happens if fewer than 10 cars finish a Grand Prix and how teams hide their secrets when they speak to drivers on the radio.

Bernie Collins and Ruth Buscombe join Katie Osborne and Christian Hewgill for a quickfire episode of F1 Explains. Why do some teams hope they'll finish a lap behind the leader? What happens when a driver is told to 'keep their head down'? What words did Ruth struggle with when she moved from an Italian team to a British one?

Send us your F1 question and we'll find the expert to answer it
Write an email or record a voice note and send it to F1Explains@F1.com

Learn more about F1 with our previous episodes:

• LIVE in Miami with Guenther Steiner + F1 Explains listeners
• Car setup with Fernando Alonso + Aston Martin
• F1 brakes - technology + technique - with Brembo + Jack Doohan
• The job of an F1 Team Principal - with Aston Martin's Mike Krack
• Why F1 teammates are friends + foes - with Valtteri Bottas + Zhou Guanyu
• How Formula 2 + Formula 3 prepare drivers for F1 - with Oscar Piastri
• F1 Academy - with Susie Wolff + Lia Block
• The F1 race start - with Mick Schumacher + strategist Bernie Collins
• Behind the scenes on Drive to Survive - with Exec Producer James Gay-Rees
• Why F1 pre-season testing matters - with Mercedes, McLaren + Alpine
• How F1 teams build their new cars - with Aston Martin Technical Director Dan Fallows

More Official F1 Podcasts

• For in-depth interviews with F1's biggest names, listen to F1 Beyond The Grid 
• For race previews and reviews, head over to F1 Nation

Experience F1 live in 2024
Tickets for races in Texas, Las Vegas and across Europe are available now. Go to tickets.formula1.com